Carrie Lam says that extradition law protests descended into a “blatant, organized riot”

At least 72 people were injured in Wednesday's clashes between police and protesters

After getting all teary-eyed and comparing protesters to children, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam returned to television on Wednesday night to issue an address labeling the skirmishes outside the Legislative Council building as an “organized riot.”

In her address, Lam declared that some of the protesters had resorted to “dangerous and even potentially fatal actions” including using sharpened iron poles and bricks to attack police. “Clearly, this is no longer a peaceful assembly but a blatant, organized riot; not an act that shows love for Hong Kong,” she said.

Earlier in the day, Hong Kong police chief Stephen Lo also labeled the clashes as a riot, justifying why police fired tear gas and rubber bullets into the crowds swarming around the parliament building. At least 72 people were injured in these skirmishes, including several that were hit in the face by rubber bullets.

The protesters are angry over a proposed policy change which would alter Hong Kong’s extradition laws to allow suspects to be extradited to mainland China for trial. In an interview filmed on Wednesday morning, Lam said that she would not be withdrawing the bill despite widespread public anger, declaring that as a mother, she could not cave in each time that her son makes a demand, casting the angry protesters as her spoiled children in this metaphor.

A number of prominent political figures in Hong Kong have called on Lam to withdraw the bill including former secretary for labour and welfare Stephen Sui Wai-keung who helped pen an open letter on Wednesday. Others, including more than 200 members of the Chief Executive Election Committee, have gone a step further and called on Lam to step down.